The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, which provides graded punishment for bodily harm to transgender persons, has been approved by the President of India. The bill has faced criticism from opposition MPs for excluding gays and lesbians and for the establishment of an authority to determine transgender status.
The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, sparking debate over its impact on LGBTQ rights and the definition of 'transgender' in Indian law.
The Indian Parliament has passed a bill amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019, focusing on biological discrimination and excluding social orientations from its scope. The bill aims to provide legal recognition and protection to transgender individuals facing discrimination due to biological issues, while also introducing graded punishments for harm inflicted on them.
The Union Cabinet is soon likely to take up a bill to provide recognition to transgenders and protect their rights, Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
'It is a great privilege that after 1970 this is the first private bill that has been passed by Parliament. The bill was supported across party lines and I am very happy with the result,' says DMK MP Tiruchi Siva whose private member bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha, the first in 46 years.
Tharoor said it was "religious bigotry" of the BJP that disallowed discussion on his private bill.
In a rare legislative action, a private member's Bill seeking to protect the rights of transgenders was passed unanimously by voice vote in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
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